I. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to cargo carriers for vehicles and, in particular, to a hitch mounted bike rack capable of adjustment fore and aft relative to the vehicle to optimize the position of the carrier platform.
II. Description of the Prior Art
Article carriers are widely employed to expand the carrying capacity of vehicles while maintaining comfort within the passenger compartment. Rooftop carriers are well known although access can be cumbersome particularly with taller vehicles. Moreover, rooftop carriers are dependent upon the structural strength of the vehicle roof and therefore may be limited in their carrying capacity. Rear mounted cargo carriers have also been employed to increase the cargo capacity of the vehicle. Many require specialized mounting hardware to secure the carrier to the vehicle resulting in undesirable added structure and cost. Some of the prior known cargo carriers are attachable to the vehicle hitch but do not provide any flexibility in the positioning of the carrier to accommodate the wide variety of vehicle configurations. Cargo platforms which simply extend from the hitch assembly could be damaged by contact with the ground as the vehicle moves along an inclined surface such as a driveway. Similarly, the rear portion of the vehicle may include obstructions to full utilization of the carrier such as the spare tire on utility vehicles. It is desirable to optimally position any cargo carrier to ensure full capacity yet minimize the cantilever forces applied to the hitch assembly.